At 72, He Still Has The Mettle To Pedal

LAKE WORTH — Robert Husky has traveled as far east as New England and as far west as California.

He has gone as far south as Mexico and as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

And he has done it all by bicycle. He`s still doing it, even though he`s 72 years old.

A former member of the sports staff on such papers as The St. Louis Post- Dispatch and the Palm Beach Post, Husky has toured by bicycle for nearly 20 years.

But his interest in the sport came by accident.

In 1964, his son`s interest in the sport got him involved in forming a racing club to be called the West Palm Beach Bicycle Club and Husky also managed to meet representatives of the Amateur Bicycle Association (now the U.S. Cycling Federation).

``They asked me to be a state representative. I used to go to national championships,`` Husky said.

The death of Fort Lauderdale biker Steve Opanowitz in 1965 led to a memorial race in West Palm Beach that would stretch to Fort Myers (100 miles each way); the first cross-Florida race.

``This was the first race of the season,`` Husky said. ``There were eight riders, all from Florida.``

But eight riders indicated to Husky that interest was minimal, and the chances of another race being held were non-existent, until he was contacted by a cyclist from Ohio.

``We weren`t going to have it next year,`` Husky said about the race. ``I got a letter. He wrote that he had heard about the race. I said, `If there`s that much interest, we ought to do it.` I wrote him back that we would have the race.``

The end result was that 29 people entered the race.

``We thought of it as the Tour de France,`` Husky said.

The 200-mile round trip became more popular each year.

``Al Towfield, president of the Amateur Bicycle League, suggested I make this an Olympic Development race -- a race for Olympic hopefuls in the bicycle event -- and give them points`` as they finish.

``I felt very good about the race,`` Husky said. ``I like the sport.

``At that point, I was to going to the national races all over the country to officiate.`` At one event in Detroit ``people wanted to know about the Cross- Florida Race.``

Eventually, the competition grew to 138 contestants. At that point, Husky said, the race was too large to operate and in 1975, it was run for the last time.

The West Palm Beach Bicycle Club holds its own yearly race. This one starts at Lake Okeechobee and goes to Fort Myers and back, a distance of about 95 miles each way. Some members actually race; others, including Husky, ride it as a tour.

Husky`s commitment to the club is appreciated by the members who like and respect their fellow cycler.

``If not for Bob Husky, there would be no West Palm Beach Bicycle Club,`` Tony Tortora of Lantana said. ``The way he presents himself, he makes you listen to him. He knows what he is talking about.``

``He`s very positive. He`s always lending encouragement to people,`` said club member Dave Vanderlaan of Lake Worth. ``He`s a pleasure to be around. The man is 72 years old and he keeps up with us. If I`m here at 72 and have his energy level and enthusiasm, it`s going to make growing older not that awesome. He acts young, he`s a good conversationalist. He likes to try things ``

``We generally ride with people in their 30s and 40s,`` Husky said. ``We generally like to be with them. Age doesn`t seem to mean a lot. There`s not a lot of thought given to it.``

By the time the final Cross-Florida Olympic event was finished, he was also winding down his career as a sports editor and bicycle shop owner.

``I liked it so much I would go into the business,`` Husky said. ``Finally, I had too much invested n the bicycle shop, I left the paper.``

Eventually, he felt it was time to retire from the business.

Husky made his first tour in 1966, when he rode from West Palm Beach to Sebring. He finished the race in eight hours, and it wasn`t easy.

``Oh, sure, it was difficult,`` Husky said. ``I imagined the first ride to be eight hours. When you are tired it goes easier.``

Later that year, he would travel to and from Fort Pierce.

``People say, `Oh, I can`t do it.` If they don`t try so hard, it can be done.``

By the early 70s, Husky became involved in bicycle rallies, in which bicyclers meet in different parts of the country and travel along routes that have different sites and varying lengths. He still does them today.

Husky and first wife, Doris, would attend some of the rallies. Following her death eight years ago, Husky remarried and now he and Ruth travel across the country.

``I pick longer routes than most people,`` Husky said. ``We enjoy riding distances. It`s not too hard. It depends on where it is. We know people all over the country and we like to see them.``

The couple travels on a tandem bike (a bicycle built for two), which has taken them through New York, Massachussetts, Vermont, the Rockies and California.